You are here

Opportunities for Congregational Participation with President Sinkford's Africa Pilgrimage

On November 4, 2008, Reverend William G. Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), will embark on a 19-day pilgrimage to six African countries: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

There are a variety of ways that Unitarian Universalists and UU congregations can participate in this journey. Please join with Reverend Sinkford by:

Learning about the people and places he plans to visit,

Reading blogposts, news stories and reports, viewing pictures, and watching video recordings produced during the journey,

Joining one of the live, interactive Sunday School web-casts with Reverend Sinkford,

Participating in the “Propose a Question” contest.

I. Learn About the People and Places Reverend Sinkford Plans to Visit

South Africa

The first segment of Reverend Sinkford’s Africa journey will take him to Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. While there he will:

Meet with leaders of The Triangle Project—a leading LGBT rights organization in Cape Town
Meet with UU Service Committee program partners (Coalition against Water Privatization—CAWP) to discuss their efforts to secure Water Rights in Soweto

Nigeria

Reverend Sinkford’s journey ends in Lagos, Nigeria. While here he will be meeting and worshipping with the leaders and members of the Unitarian community in Lagos.

International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) curriculum unit (PDF) from The Garden of Unitarian*Universalism with information about the Unitarian Brotherhood Church in Lagos (as well as Unitarians in South Africa and Burundi).

A Global Conversation: Proceedings of the ICUU Theological Symposium 2001 in England. Including a presentation by Nigerian Unitarian Aseo Taiyewo Aiyefuwa. Available from ICUU.

For Suggestions about including information about the people and places Reverend Sinkford will be visiting in Religious Education programs, please contact the UUA'sInternational Resources Office.

During each webcast, Sunday School classes can access live audio and video of Reverend Sinkford talking about his journey, and communicate with him through a “chat” interface. Webcasts are scheduled to last for 1 hour. Sunday School classes of all ages are welcome to participate.

IV. Participate in the “Propose a Question” Contest

Is there a question or an issue that you’d like Reverend Sinkford to raise with one of the groups or leaders that he’ll be meeting with during his journey? Maybe there’s something you’ve always wanted to ask Archbishop Tutu? Or, maybe there’s a question you’d like to ask members of the Unitarian community in Nigeria?

If so, please submit the question or issue to the “Propose a Question” contest. Visitors to Reverend Sinkford's blog can participate in polls to determine the contest winners. And, Reverend Sinkford will report back the responses that are received to the most popular “questions.”

Rev. William G. Sinkford, UUA President, will be accompanied on the trip by his spouse, Maria; Rev. Eric Cherry, Director of UUA International Resources; and Paula Cole Jones, Consultant for the UUA JUUST Change Program.